Conversations with the Present

This is the second of three Conversation articles. The impetus for this series is to better understand how our primary care physician colleagues’ past, present, and future experiences and perspectives affect their views of our chosen profession. For example, has the profession fulfilled expectations? Are we satisfied with our abilities to help people despite sometimes burdensome governmental and insurance regulations? What works and what doesn’t (HMO, ACO, value-based concepts) in this modern era of medical practice? Is it better, worse, or exactly as we had imagined it when we strolled into those lecture halls on our first day of medical school? This article focuses on two primary care physicians’ views from present perspectives.